English Names

Lark-related names from Larkin to Skylark, Larken to Larkspur, and of course, Lark itself, have all gained more attention in recent years, both in real life and on Nameberry. Larksong is an even more whimsy option, joining the likes of Birdsong and Windsong as bold middle name options to play around with. 

Larksong

Lauttie is an alternative spelling to the sweet and stylish nickname Lottie, but it could also work as a short form of Lauretta, or for anyone wanting to honor a Laura, Laurence, Laurel, or Lauren in a more subtle way. 
 
It may additionally relate to Lauti, a short form of the Mapuche name Lautaro, meaning "swift hawk", or perhaps to Laut, a Dutch name that may have derived from Laurentius (meaning "from Laurentum"), or from the Germanic element hlud (meaning "famous").

Lauttie

Layden and its little brother Leyden are both used quietly in the US. Layden was given to about 20 baby boys last year, while Leyden was used for five. 

Both names are more commonly found as surnames and owe their lives as first names to the trend for the popular Aiden or Ayden enhanced with different first letters: Cayden, Brayden, Zayden etc. But Layden and Leyden are Anglicizations of the old Irish Gaelic name Loideain and may be considered its relatives.

Leyden Lewis is a prominent interior designer.

Laydon

This light, airy name has been given to a few dozen American girls since the early 2000s. It's a legitimate Italian word, but it's more likely to be inspired by the word "angel" backwards.

Legna

Taken from the name of an English city, Leicester has an aristocratic look about it, though its shorter and simpler than it looks at first glance. Said just as the same as Lester, the more stripped back spelling is usually preferred, bringing with it less risk of mispronunciation. 
 
Used as a given name by Charles Dickens in his novel Bleak House, the name comes the Latin castra meaning "military camp" or "fort", combined with the name of a river.

Leicester

Lennon meets Clementine in this citrusy sounding name, which may be interpreted in two ways. On one hand, it could be a twist on the fruit name Lemon, a bold choice that was given to 30 girls in a recent year. On the other, it's a surname, derived from either the Old English Leofman meaning "beloved person", or from Lamont, a Gaelic and Old Norse name meaning "law man". 
 
Occasionally used for boys in the 20th century, it has appeared on social media birth announcements for baby girls in 2026.

Lemmon

Appearing in the US stats a handful on times in the early 20th century, this name can be read in two ways. On one hand, it's a surname-style choice, derived from either the English Leofman meaning "dear, beloved person" or from the Gaelic Lagmont meaning "law man". On the other, it is a modern twist on the fruit name Lemon.  



Sour or sweet? Enough like Lennon, Leonard, and Clement to work, or best left in the fruit basket? That's up to you to decide, but Lemon has been appearing in the US charts for boys since the 1880s. 
 
Currently more popular for girls (given to 50 in 2021, and 29 in a more recent year), Lemon has been out of the charts for boys since the 90s, but that's not to say it won't ever return, given the interest in wild word names in recent years.
 
One thing to bear in mind is that Lemon is sometimes used as a slang term with a couple of meanings. It may refer to: a defective and faulty car or gadget; to an unhelpful person who won't take action (as in, standing there like a lemon); and, in a more niche (and perhaps slightly outdated?) way, for explicit content in fanfiction. Make of that what you will.
 
Lemuel, Lemoine, and Lonan might be similar sounding options,

Lemon

Literary heritage: the "Loony Tunes" girlfriend of Porky Pig.  But with the increasing popularity of all kinds of unusual botanical names, Petunia may be a name we start to hear more of.  Perhaps-more-pleasing Petunia alternatives: Petal, Posy, Poppy.

Petunia

A chivalrous, knightly sounding choice, that blends the appeal of Tristan, Leon, Laertes, and Leonard. Appearing in several historical chronicles and borne by a 10th century Bishop of London called Leofstan, it would make a bold choice for a baby, but an intriguing one for a character in a historical or fantasy novel. 
 
It is pronounced as leh-ohf-stan, leh like the sound in bled and ohf like the sound in cough. These first two syllables glide into each other, rather than being two very separate sounds.

Leofstan

Contracted form of Leofric, which would make an intriguing addition to the modern lexicon of Leo names.

Leoric

A snappy surname choice with a variety of origins, Levitt may appeal to those who enjoy Merritt, Liv, Levi, Lettie, and Everett. 
 
From its English origins, Levitt likely derives from the French place name, Livet which could mean "where the yew trees grow", giving it a nature-connected feel. Alternatively it may be a contracted form of Leverett (meaning "young hare" from its French roots and "beloved counsel" from its Old English ones) or a spin on Livith or Leofgyð, Old English names meaning "beloved in battle".
 
As an Ashkenazi Jewish surname, Levitt is derived from the German, Russian, and Bulgarian Levit, meaning "Levite," a descendant of the biblical figure Levi. It could then borrow Levi's meaning: "joined, attached".
 
Used predominantly (albeit quietly) for boys in the US, influencer Paige R Williams chose it for her daughter's middle name in 2025, which may inspired other parents.

Levitt

Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous -- verging on hip -- choice. Or perhaps it was, until 2023, when it entered the UK Top 1000, not sounding too out of place beside other 2023 favorites, Honey, Blossom, Sage, Halo, and Dolly. 

Peaches

Appearing in the US stats sporadically since the 2000s, this word name directly celebrates the new life of a baby. Liv, Vita, Enid, Aisha, Maisha, and Eve have similar vigor. 

Life

Likely a surname-style spin on Lyle or Lilias, this unusual option may provide some inspiration from who like Lily, Lila, Isla, and Lois, but also Ellis, Linden, Carlisle, and Riley. Appearing in birth announcements on social media, it could mean "from the island" or "lilies" depending on whether you take it as a variant of Lyle/Lisle or Lilias/Lileas. 

Liles

Pascoe

Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.

Pansy

Magical and intriguing, Liliore is a rare member of the Lily family, most notably borne by American heiress and philanthropist, Liliore Green Rains, who was likely named for her mother, Lillian. A very unique option, it may appeal to those who are seeking an unheard of form of Lily, but aren't sold of Lilibet, Lilivere, Liliosa, and Liliwen.
 
Liliore could also be considered a compound name, blending Lily with Eleanore, Lenore, Aurore, or Lior, in the style of Hannelore.

Liliore

Possibly inspired by the Welsh feminine name, Liliwen, Liliwin is a masculine name, notably appearing in the seventh novel of the The Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters. In the 1983 book The Sanctuary Sparrow, Liliwin is a travelling performer who is accused of theft, robbery, and murder, but goes on to become the hero of the story.
 
If Liliwin does derive from Welsh, it could mean "white lily" or "blessed lily"; however, if it is from Anglo-Saxon origins, it may mean "friend's lily" instead. A very rare choice, it has seen little real-world use.

Liliwin

This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry).

While about 100 baby girls are still named Pamela in the US every year, the name Pam is now officially extinct.

English names -- names originating in the English language -- rank among the top names in the US, the UK, and other English-speaking countries, along with such European countries as Sweden, Germany, and France.

 in the US Top 300 include Georgia, Juliet, Lily and Olive for girls, and Emmett, Miles, Oscar, and William for boy.

 include Alfie, Lily, Edward, and Ella. In Sweden, the English girls' name Alice ranks near the top of the list, while the English boys' nickname Tom is fashionable in France.



Less conventional English names that rank highly in the US include, for girls, Kendall, Kinsley, Madison, Marley, Peyton, Presley, Sutton, Willow, Winter and Wren, For boys, this group includes Archer, Brooks, Carter, Fletcher, Graham, Huxley, Mason, Reed, Sawyer, and Wilder.

 that carry a lot of style value include, for girls, Araminta, Arden, Azalea, Birdie, Blythe, Clover, Lilac, Lavender, Posey, and Waverly. For boys, unique English names to consider include Birch, Booker, Dane, Garrison, Hale, Kit, Oberon, Shaw, Tobin, and Winston.



Our collection of English baby names also includes surname names such as Lancaster and Huffington, nature names such as River and Marigold, English word names such as Love and Journey, along with place names like Devon and occupational names such as Driver.



Browse Nameberry's complete range of English names for girls and boys, continued, below, or consult our individual lists of 

. The English origin names below are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

English names including girl names and boy names of English origin from the English language and culture (Page 100)

1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)